Wigan Album
HAIGH FOUNDRY
5 CommentsPhoto: RON HUNT
Item #: 17845
Charnock Richard, what a nice name for a place. Used to go there sometimes, my Dad's 3 maiden aunts lived there in Yew Tree Villas. I believe its a motorway service station these days ?
i believe these milestones were made to replace some much older ones which were used as far back as the 17th century when the A49 was the main route through Lancashire and was fought over several times during the English civil Wars and in the 1715 and 45 Jacobite rebellions?. They became a familiar sight on what was known as the 'Wigan Circular' a route that used both the A6 through Chorley, up to the Wigan lane junction at Frederick's ice cream shop, down Wigan lane and back to the A49 at Langtree, opposite the Boar's head pub, itself very interesting and probably predating both the Wigan Circular and English Civil Wars in this area!
I live at Yew Tree Villas. Unfortunately this milestone went missing about ten years ago. Probably taken for scrap..bloody shame!
Good News.I read that this had been seen at a sale in Cheshire and Rescued, and is due to be reinstated.
The three maiden aunts at Yew Tree Villas: Mary, Edith (?) and ? They grew fruit bushes and made delicious jam. Kept an old print over the fireplace, of a boy and dog sitting by a fire. None of the sisters married because the two eldest lost their fiance and beau in the first world war. They were lovely ladies. They had the end 'cottage' to the south. Heaton's farm was nearby where they got their milk and sometimes their eggs. There was no village shop. I think the post office was once at Mrs Riding's house near Church Lane's junction with Preston Road. She kept geese that were prized for making Christmas cakes.